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W. P. KIRKLAND.

SOLAR FRUIT DRIER (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

, WILLIAM F. KIRKLAND, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF SIX TENTHS TO DANIEL BUCK AND 'ALPHONSO B. SMITH, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

SOLAR FRUIT-DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,084, dated July 10, 1883.

Application filed Mulch 20, 1883.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, XVILLIAM P. KIRKLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Solar Fruit-Drier, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a means whereby the rays of the sun are utilized to in drying fruits and other natural or artificial products. I accomplish this object by means of the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical. sectional view of my I improved solar drying apparatus.

plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of one corner of the drying-chamber.

Similar letters refer to similar parts through out the several views.

In carrying out my invention I employ a reflecting-container, A, constructedpreferably of wood, forming a round hollow body or concavity not unlike a huge bowl, and resting upon extensible legs B. Theinterior of the 2 5 container or reflector is lined with tin or other metal or glass capable of reflecting heat or the suns rays inwardly to the center of the bowl from all points of the surface thereof, and the body of the container may be made in sections 0 and held by dowel-pins, as shown. Within the center or vertex of the bowl or reflector I place a drying-chamber, (3, made of glass, size angled or octagonal; yet I do not confine myself to any particular form, as a cylindrical or rectangular form will answer avery good purpose; but a chamber with six or eight sides will be found to be quite convenient. This chamber is constructed with vertical supporting-posts D, which are grooved upon both sides to receive and hold the glass or sash D, which forms the sides of the chamber. From the interior side of the postsproject pins and rollers E, at suitable intervals, upon which the drying-trays are placed, and access is had 5 to the chamber by sliding glass panels or a glass door at F. Within the vertex or concavity of the bowl is placed a solar or focus dial, G, over which the chamber or drier is centrally placed, while the space around the Fig. 2 is a.

(No model.)

top of the bowl or container is open. A removable chimney cap or cowl, H, is placed over the top of the chamber, and this chimney or cap is provided with a doubleconvex lens, I, which is placed a suitable distance above the cap H, in which position it is held by the rods J in a vertical line with the sun or focus dial G in the bottom of the bowl or container. This lens may be made adjustable upon the rods, or so as to be raised or lowered, when desired, to impart a greater or less intensity of heat to the focus-dial in the bottom of the container. The cap is made removable within the circular opening, and may be provided with Ventilators at M.

The driers are composed of disk-like frames K, having a central opening, L, with arms diverging to the rim or periphery, leaving triangular spaces, upon which wire woven trays are placed. These frames are placed upon the rollers or pins extending from the posts or frame heretofore described, and are adapted to be moved around upon the pins to the sliding or hinged door of the chamber for the proper adjustment of the trays, as desired, in charging the trays, removing fruit, &c., and each frame is so placed upon the rollers or pins as not to intercept the rays of the sun, which pass through the double-convex lens down upon the sun or focus dial at the bottom of the chamber.

In constructing the focusdial any suitable material may be employed that is not fusible, but will be capable of becoming incandescent and throw off a great degree of heat.

In practice the frames are placed upon the pins within the chamber and the fruit or other product to be dried upon the wire woven trays, and these arranged within the radial spaces of the frames, when the door or panels of the chamber are closed and the doubleconvex lens 0 adjusted so as to concentrate and direct the rays of the sun down through the central open ing in the chamber and upon the burning or focus dial at the bottom of the container, and thereby generating a great degree of heat, 9 5 which is thrown off into the drying-chamber to act upon the fruit contained within the trays and expel and throw off the moisture,

which moisture will pass off through the draft chimney and ventilators in the cover or cap of the chamber; or the ventilators may be closed and opened at intervals, as required, to let off the surplus moisture and regulate the heat.

It should here be observed that the apparatus or container may be pivoted and so inclined as to receive the rays of the sun before or after the sun has reached the meridian, if required.

By this construction of fruit-drier a great heat is generated upon the focus-dial or obj eot and deflected or refracted to all parts of the drying-chamber, while the heat from the lining of the container or concave bowl is deflected to the center against and'upon all sides of the chamber, to assist in expelling moisture that may have collected within the chamber upon the glass sides thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In combination with a drying-chamber having glass sides or surroundings, the con cave bowl or container provided with a lining capable of reflecting heat or the solar rays in wardly, constructed and arranged to operate as described, for the purpose specified.

2. In a fruit-drier, the drying-chamber C, composed of posts D, having pins or rollers E, the glass sides D, door F, and frame K, sub stantially as shown and described.

3. In a fruit-drying apparatus, the combination of a concave container or bowl, a drying-chamber having glass sides and located in the center of said bowl or container, a focusing-dial placed beneath said chamber, and a double-convex lens arranged at a suitable distance above the drying-chamber, substantially as described.

4. In a fruit-drying apparatus, the combination of the bowl or container A, having an inner reflecting-surface, the drying-chamber 0, having glass sides and door, the dial G, chimney H, and lens I, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

WILLIAM I. KIRKLAND. [L. s]

Witnesses:

O. W. M. SMITH, CHAS. E. KELLY. 

